There was silence for awhile. Finally, once all the smoke was gone, Ginny Weasley spoke up.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Fine," said Ron.

"Hermione, are you okay? Wait--where's Hermione?"

"Oh no!"

Harry and Ron turned around to see Hermione's Quidditch robes (what she had been wearing when the explosion occurred) and a flashing blue button on it. Harry had merely noticed it when it too blew up.

This time, it was Harry to break the silence.

"This is creepy."

"Yea it is."

"Maybe we should get out of here."

"I totally agree!" Harry said as they all stormed out of the hall.

The next day, it was time for the second match in Round Two. The teams:

Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. Lee was commentating after a great struggle to remain commentator .

"Today, like yesterday, I will state all team members and statistics. First of all, the Ravenclaw Chasers. Firstly, Parvati Patil. She so far has scored a grand total of ten points!"

Parvati glared at him. It wasn't her fault she had a bad reaction time.

"Next, Sally-Anne Perks. She has scored a whopping 1 goal, or ten points just like Parvati!"

Sally glared at him. You would almost think she and Parvati were sisters.

"Okay, our final Ravenclaw Chaser, the one that actually has scored, Ernie MacMillan--he has scored a total of thirty points, leading the Ravenclaw team as the MVP of that team! Way to go Ernie!" said Lee.

Ernie flew out, flashed everyone a smile, and they all smiled back, especially the Ravenclaws.

"Now, the Gryffindor Chasers. Firstly, Draco Malfoy. He has scored four times so far in just one game, making his total forty points! He is right now in the lead out of all four houses for the most times scored!"

Draco flew out, with all the Gryffindors and Slytherins staring at him very happily. Slytherins were hoping that he would be just as good the following year when he was back in Slytherin.

"The next Gryffindor Chaser, Cristy Filman! So far she has scored three times, and is tied with many others for second place in the scoring."

Cristy flew out, receiving many smiles from everyone in Gryffindor, especially the boys. Mikeal was smiling.

"Our final Gryffindor Chaser, with an extremely sad performance in the previous match, Cho Chang!"

Cho ran out, tried to grab the Quaffle, and then aimed it at Lee Jordan for the bad comment. Lee ducked in time, but instead it hit Professor Black. Madam Pomfrey rushed out and fixed Sirius up, then Lee continued.

"Now, the Ravenclaw Beaters. First, Ronald Weasley, who has done an okay time for a starter at the position of Beater!"

Ron flew out and screamed again, just like the previous day, "IT'S RON WEASLEY! NOT RONALD!"

"Okay, Ron!"

Ron flew out and stared at Lee before finally flying out to his spot on the field. He didn't like Lee. Not one bit.

"And our other Ravenclaw Beater, Vincent Crabbe!"

"Just call me Crabbe!" Crabbe said in a grunt before waving to the audience like he was famous.

"Okay. Next, our Gryffindor Beaters, one of which is a very good and good-looking and one that is just very good. First, the attractive and good Beater. She goes by the name of Ginny!"

Ginny flew out and took her position.

"And the other Beater, one that is just a very good Beater, Lavendar Brown! She has done a very good job so far!"

Lavendar gracefully flew out onto the field. She flew up into position, and then smiled at the Gryffindors.

"Next, the Ravenclaw Keeper. His name is Seamus Finnigan!"

Seamus flew out onto the field, smiled at the Ravenclaws, then flew near the goal posts.

"And the Gryffindor Keeper, Padma Patil!"

Padma flew out onto the field, very happily.

"Next, the most important people in the game, the ones who will end the game for us, the Seekers! First, Ravenclaw's Seeker, Lorena Corena!"

Lorena flew out and once more flashed everyone a dazzling smile.

"And the Gryffindor Seeker, Harry Potter!"

Harry flew up into the air, smiled at Megan in the stands, and took his place. "Let the game begin!" Lee said as the Quaffle was put into play.

"It's Gryffindor with the Quaffle. Gryffindor heading for goal--yes, Cristy Filman scores! Ten-zip to Gryffindor!"

Gryffindor fans were erupting with applause.

"Now it's Ravenclaw Chaser Parvati Patil with the Quaffle. Parvati passes to Ernie MacMillan, she motions to try some sort of play? Well, now it's Ernie with he Quaffle, and now back to Parvati, she shoots, blocked by Gryffindor Keeper Padma Patil, passed off to Gryffindor Chaser Draco Malfoy, he's heading for goal. he shoots, and gets it past Ravenclaw Keeper Seamus Finnigan. Twenty-zero to Gryffindor!"

Gryffindor fans erupted with applause again. Megan winked at Harry. He just kept his eyes out for the Snitch.

"Gryffindor with the Quaffle yet again, it's Cristy Filman, rather attractive girl, heading for goal. She shoots, and scores yet again! Thirty-zero to Gryffindor!"

Gryffindors, however, were pointing at Ernie MacMillan, who was heading for their goal posts. He was too close and therefore they had no way of blocking him. The Ravenclaws cheered as the Quaffle went through the hoop.

"Alright, it's thirty-ten to Gryffindor. Gryffindor Chaser Cho Chang with the Quaffle, she passes it off to Draco Malfoy, he passes it to Cristy Filman. Cristy gets close to the goal post, scores! Forty-ten to Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindors were erupting with applause and happiness.

"Ronald Weasley whacks a Bludger at Gryffindor Chaser Cho Chang. Her Firebolt moves fast enough though. Instead, the Bludger hits Ravenclaw Keeper Seamus Finnigan. He falls, and is knocked out. Now Ravenclaw is down a Keeper, which is a very bad thing. Gryffindor Chaser Cristy Filman grabs the Quaffle and passes it to Cho Chang, then back to Cristy Filman. She heads for the goal posts, shoots, and--yes, it's in! Gryffindor in the lead fifty to ten!"

Just then, Ravenclaw scored again. Twenty-fifty to Gryffindor.

Then, finally, Harry spotted the Snitch, he raced for it, and caught it! "Gryffindor wins, 200 to 50!" Lee said before jumping up and down with glee.

The glee from Gryffindor winning was the reason that no one noticed when Ron disappeared.

That night, Harry and Draco were talking in the common room.

"Has Hermione returned?" Harry asked.

"Since when is she one of your top priorities?"

"She is one of my best friends!"

"Okay, so continue."

Now, remember that blinking blue button?"

"Yea."

"Remember how it blew up after we noticed the button?"

"Yea, so?"

"Well, I saw one on Halloween night, at the ball. Then, Megan screamed because her necklace had blown up. But Cristy told me later that she was wearing the same necklace, and it too was blinking, but hers had not blown up."

"Maybe they only blow up if someone notices them. It's possible, right?" Draco asked Harry.

"Yea," said Harry. "But I have another theory that goes along with yours, Draco," Harry added.

"What?" Draco asked.

"I think that you are correct, as I said before. But I think that the blinking blue buttons were there on everyone's Quidditch robes as a TV to watch."

"Wait--go on."

"Maybe Voldemort-" Draco flinched at the sound of the name- "sorry, you are a lot like Ron, he doesn't like it when I say the name either. But anyway, maybe he was watching the 'TV' and that way he knew that the people he took were done with their times of Quidditch. He probably knew that Dumbledore would not be happy if he ruined the Year of Differences' Quidditch season. So he waited and watched, got to know my friends, figured out the way to lure them into a trap. He probably got Hermione by disguising himself as a teacher and said that he had something to show her, that would work for her. He probably got Ron by saying that he made the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team so Ron went with him."

"Keep going, Harry!" Draco said as an owl approached with some sort of weird-looking letter.

"Read it, Harry," Draco said as Harry opened the letter..

Harry Potter.

Um...Remember me? The one you ignored?

Well, if you care at all about your friends, you will listen to me this time.

There is no hope of recovering them, for I have seen to that. You will have to live with their deaths. If you ignore this letter, your friend Hermione Granger will be the first to die. If you ignore the letter I send you after I finish her off, your friend Ronald Weasley will be next to go. If you ignore that, then another of your friends will be taken and killed. And if you ignore that letter, you will be my next victim.

Your Worst Nightmare.

"Pathetic!" Harry said to Draco, who looked thunderstruck.

"How can you take all these letters like this?" Draco asked Harry.

"What do you mean?" Harry said as he suddenly had an amazing thought.

"Wait--Hermione was captured after her team lost their last Quidditch match, meaning that they were out of the tournament. Ron was caught after Ravenclaw had just lost, so his team was out of the Quidditch match. That means that--oh no! If Gryffindor loses tomorrow that means that you or I will probably be taken hostage!"

"Probably me," said Draco.

"No, it didn't even mention you in here," said Harry, but Draco felt differently.

"Remember how he said that he was watching you?"

"Yea, so?"

"Well, he probably knows that you will do pretty much anything for your friends, or maybe he will get me because I lied to him about your whereabouts."

"Well, you have a point, but I don't think that he really would do that."

"Whatever."

"Well, we can't back out of the Quidditch final tomorrow. Gryffindor against Slytherin.

"New house verse old house," said Draco.

"Megan, my girlfriend, against me."

"Do you really like her?"

"Yeah, a lot."

"Good. That's one more person out of the--"

"But I like someone else more."

"Who?"

"I'm not saying."

"Why not? You know who I like!"

"Yeah, but the girl I like you would laugh and joke around about it. You also would not like that I liked her.

"Don't tell me you like Hermione."

"I'm not saying."

"Whatever."

Draco and Harry continued in this mood for some time before finally Draco gave up, he was not going to get the answer from Harry.

"Hello, and welcome to today's Quidditch match! Today's game--Gryffindor versus Slytherin for the Year of Differences Quidditch Cup!"

Gryfffindors and Slytherins were the most excited of the lot, mainly because their houses were the ones that were competing for the Quidditch Cup.

"Okay, Gryffindor Chaser Cristy Filman with the Quaffle. She passes it to Draco Malfoy. Draco passes it to Cho, who passes it back to Cristy, Cristy shoots, and scores! Ten-zip to Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor side erupted with applause.

"Now it's Slytherin Chaser Pansy Parkinson with the Quaffle, she passes it to Morag MacDougal, passes it accidentally to Cristy Filman, who passes it to Draco Malfoy, heads for hoops, and Draco scores! Twenty-zero to Gryffindor! Wait--no--Slytherin Chaser Dean Thomas with the Quaffle. He heads for goal--shoots and scores! Twenty-ten to Gryffindor!"

Both sides were erupting with applause.

"Gryffindor Chaser Cristy Filman with the Quaffle. She shoots--scores! Thirty-ten to Gryffindor! Wait--now it's Slytherin Chaser Dean Thomas with the Quaffle again. He shoots--and is blocked by Gryffindor Keeper Padma Patil. Great job Padma!"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, professor! Anyway, Gryffindor Chaser Cho Chang with the Quaffle, heading for the goal posts, she shoots, blocked by Slytherin Keeper Rubeus Hagrid."

"I knew I should have stuck to Seeker," said Cho under her breath. In that short time, with just Cristy and Draco working together, Gryffindor scored three more times.

"Gryffindor with the Quaffle again. Gryffindor still in the lead, sixty-twenty. Slytherin Chaser Morag MacDougal with the Quaffle, passes it to Pansy Parkinson, Pansy passes it to Dean Thomas. Dean shoots, blocked not by Gryffindor Keeper Padma Patil but by Gryffindor Chaser Cristy Filman. She passes it to Draco Malfoy, shoots, score! Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor. Wait--what is this? It seems that now we have a Seeker-on-Seeker! Megan is ahead, but Harry's Firebolt is making him catch up. Harry and Megan are even, they go into a dive! Wait--what is this? It seems that Megan is flashing Harry a smile and stops him. Gryffindor Chasers Draco Malfoy and Cristy Filman both scored once more, score is ninety-twenty to Gryffindor! Wait--Harry is back up from his dive and--yes, he's got the Snitch! Gryffindor wins the Year of Differences Quidditch Cup! Final score: 240 Gryffindor against 20 for Slytherin!

Everyone was rejoicing--and no one noticed when Draco Malfoy disappeared.